


Relief

by NotTonightJosephine



Category: His Dark Materials (TV)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Clothed Sex, Exhaustion, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Non-Penetrative Sex, Touch-Starved, Wall Sex, trans!Lee, what can I say I just see two beautiful grimy men and I wanna squish em together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:54:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28124181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotTonightJosephine/pseuds/NotTonightJosephine
Summary: Lee Scoresby's risked his life, limbs and perfect complexion to find who he's looking for: Stanislaus Grumman, or Jopari as he's apparently now known. That kind of thing takes it out of a man, but luckily Jopari is willing and able to help.Set during season 2 episode 4 'Tower of the Angels', with references to the events of episode 3 'Theft'.
Relationships: John Parry/Lee Scoresby
Comments: 16
Kudos: 69
Collections: John Parry and Lee Scoresby





	Relief

Lee had barely gotten through the doorway of the shaman's home before Jopari turned to face him, gaze sweeping down him and then up again.

"You're uncomfortable, aren't you?" he asked, voice soft.

Lee scoffed, reaching up reflexively to rub his forehead, an unconscious attempt to hide the fading bruises on his face.

"It looks worse'n it is," he said with a shrug.

"Still," Jopari smiled, his dark eyes unreadable, "I'm sure I can provide some relief."

Lee ducked his head, running a hand through his hair to buy himself some time. But Hester caught his eye and fixed him with a look. She knew he was in pain, felt it around her own eye socket and jaw, ribs and flank. Not to mention the various aches and itches from their escape up the Yenisei river.

"I'd appreciate it, Mr Jopari, sir," Lee finally admitted.

"Stand by the window, then, let me have a good look at you."

It wasn't so much a window as a larger gap between wall planks. Lee wasn't one to judge unusual homes, but the place did have a salvaged and thrown-together look to it. The breeze was nice though, much better than the oppressive humidity of the swampy river bank. He placed his hat on the table but left his coat on.

After plucking a jar from a high shelf in the kitchen, Jopari joined Lee where he'd settled. Hester sat on her haunches near Lee's feet, looking between the two men with interest.

Jopari examined Lee for a moment before reaching for his face.

"May I?" he asked, tattooed fingers pausing an inch away from Lee's stubbled cheek.

Lee nodded, blinking rapidly when Jopari took his jaw in a gentle grip and angled his face toward the sunlight. His left eye was no longer swollen shut, but he winced when Jopari ran a careful finger over the bruises on his temple and cheekbone.

Jopari made an apologetic noise, then unstopped the jar and dipped two fingers inside. They came out covered in a pinkish grey cream which Jopari began to dab on Lee's face.

It smelled a little like jimsonweed ointment, with some other herbal scents that Lee couldn't identify. But whatever it was the shaman has concocted, it felt gloriously cool and light on Lee's skin, soothing the sting and throb of pain wherever it touched.

His eyes slipped closed, but jolted open again when Jopari took his hand and lifted it.

"Your wrists," Jopari explained, letting Lee's hand drop. "Would you rather…" he offered the jar instead of finishing the question.

"You spotted that, huh?" Lee smiled ruefully. "Well, I guess we'd better do this properly."

He eased his coat off and folded it over the closest chair, then pushed his jacket sleeves up and held out his hands. He hadn't had a chance to examine any of his injuries, just washed the worst of the blood off as he travelled. They hurt, of course, but it was the sight more than the pain that made him wince and hiss in a breath. A single night in manacles had scraped the skin raw, leaving his wrists blistered and bruised.

Lee glanced up to see the other man's reaction. Jopari didn't say anything but his brow was furrowed and his mouth a grim line.

"A misunderstanding with the Magisterium," Lee offered, by way of explanation.

Jopari just nodded in response. He scooped up a generous amount from the jar before setting it down on the table and using both hands to smooth the cool ointment over Lee's broken skin. He worked his way down Lee's hands until he was massaging Lee's scraped knuckles with his thumbs.

Hester startled them both by flopping abruptly down on her side in a patch of sunlight, forepaws crossed and ears relaxed. She winked at Lee before closing her eyes and settling in for a snooze. Lee scoffed out an incredulous laugh, but he trusted his dæmon and she clearly trusted Jopari so who was he to argue.

"Turn," Jopari ordered. But he was smiling, and Lee was helpless to refuse. Those dexterous fingertips returned to Lee's skin, rubbing the remaining ointment into the insect bites on his neck and ears. The touch disappeared for a moment and Lee started to turn around again but Jopari stopped him.

"Don't move," he murmured. "I'll be right back."

So Lee waited. He heard water being poured, a brief splashing and the soft rustle of cloth on skin that Lee suspected signaled some hasty hand-drying, before footsteps announced Jopari's return.

There was silence for a moment, except for the buzz of insects and the wind rustling the grass.

One hand, still a little damp, slid into Lee's hair while the other came to rest on his shoulder. When Jopari began gently scratching Lee's scalp, Lee had to reach for the wall to steady himself. Without the rough-hewn wood beneath his fingers, grounding him, he thought he might have cried or collapsed. To have his pain eased was one thing, but to be touched, softly, with such care, was bliss.

Lee became aware of a growing warmth. Sunlight in front of him and Jopari behind, close enough that Lee could feel his breath on the back of his neck. Both of his hands had slipped down to Lee's sides, encircling him. It took Lee a moment to understand he was being hugged, another to relax into the touch. But when Jopari's hand, flat against Lee's stomach, moved slowly downward, Lee tensed again.

"Would you accept some more relief?" Jopari asked carefully, fingers brushing back and forth along the waistband of Lee's trousers.

Lee swallowed, licked his lips, swallowed again. He was surprised to notice a warm throb between his legs. It was easy enough to ignore, he could push away and declare that some soup would be a great relief… but his skin tingled pleasantly wherever the other man had touched it and Lee found himself wondering how long it had been since he had so much as touched himself.

"I wouldn't be opposed," Lee finally said. "But I feel I oughta warn y-"

He cut off with a gasp. Jopari's hand was between Lee's thighs and squeezing, and even through the thick leather it had to be obvious that there wasn't an erection under his hand, or at least not the type he was surely expecting. But he didn't snatch his hand away, didn't even seem surprised, and the pressure was exquisite. Lee tried and failed to stifle a moan.

Then Jopari was undoing Lee's belt with sure fingers and sliding a hand inside his trousers while the other stayed splayed across Lee's stomach, steadying him. The heel of Jopari's palm came to rest in the trimmed hair over Lee's mons and his warm fingertips pressed briefly to the wetness below before dragging back up to circle his cock.

Lee groaned. Lord but he was so wet already, and already almost overstimulated as Jopari teased him. He bucked forward into Jopari's hand and back against his thigh, feeling pinned and luxurious, even as his bruised ribs twinged and his leg ached.

"Is this good for you, Mr Scoresby?" Jopari asked. It sounded like he was smiling, like he knew just how fucking good it was but wanted to hear Lee say it.

"Yes, yessir," Lee panted, and then gave up on words. He reached blindly behind him, caught Jopari's topknot in a fist and, turning his head at an angle that would doubtless cause him future discomfort, crushed their lips together.

Jopari made a frustrated noise and took his hand out of Lee's pants just long enough to spin him around and press him against the wall. He was still kissing Lee hard while he spread Lee's thighs with one of his own and slipped his hand back down inside his trousers, fingertips rubbing Lee's perineum and thumb firmly pressed to Lee's cock.

Lee thrust against Jopari's fingers, one hand still tangled in his hair while the other grabbed at Jopari's jacket to haul him closer. The kiss deepened, breaking only to let Lee gasp for breath, eyes squeezed shut and head thrown back against the wall. Jopari's breaths came quick, short warm pants against Lee's neck as his fingers worked.

Lee's heart was hammering, he could feel his pulse between his thighs and the rush of blood in his ears. He was dimly aware of Hester's pleasure too, deep contentment radiating from the place where she'd settled, twitching in her sleep. Grinding and bucking his hips, muscles clenched and cock twitching, Lee came with a strangled sob.

Jopari's fingers stilled after a moment, before the sensitivity could become discomfort, and Lee half-collapsed, forehead resting on the other man's shoulder as he recovered. As delicately as possible, Jopari extricated his hand from Lee's pants, then rotated his wrist and flexed his fingers.

Lee dragged himself upright, all his aches slowly coming back to him, and freed his hands from where they were tangled. He grinned at the mess he'd made of Jopari's hair, the bun lopsided and letting loose strands fall over his forehead, and indulged himself by leaning forward for another warm kiss. Lee could hear the shaman's dæmon circling over the house, her high whistling call somehow triumphant, and found himself laughing in joy and disbelief.

"Well, Mr Jopari, you sure know how to make a man feel welcome."

Jopari's lips twitched into a crooked smile. "Only the finest hospitality for my valued guests."

"If I'd've known I would've visited years ago," Lee said and Jopari let out a soft chuckle.

"Do you want… I could give you a hand with that?" Lee gestured vaguely toward the bulge in Jopari's trousers. "Or blow you? I'm told I'm good with my mouth, when you can get me to stop talking." He grinned but Jopari stepped back, shaking his head.

"I assure you, there's no need. I didn't summon you here for that."

Lee blinked, then frowned. "Beg your pardon?"

"Sit down, Mr Scoresby, and I'll explain."

"I think maybe you can call me Lee, after all that."

He pushed off from the wall, swayed a little on his feet and limped over to the table. Without the pain and fear of the past few days he was suddenly left with only bone-deep weariness. When he stumbled, Jopari caught him by the arm and steered him onto the narrow bed.

"Rest now, Lee."

"I haven't slept properly in… a long time," Lee mumbled, eyelids already drooping.

"You're safe here. Sayan Kötör will keep watch. And when you wake, we will talk."

Lee only had time to hum his agreement before he fell into dreamless sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Look, idk how Lee's on T but I figure he knows some witches who can hook him up with some magical hormone therapy. Love this for him!


End file.
